Wael Ghonim

Wael Ghonim, born on December 23, 1980, in Cairo, Egypt, is an Egyptian computer engineer, internet activist, and social entrepreneur who played a significant role in the Egyptian Revolution of 2011.

He earned a bachelor's degree in computer engineering from Cairo University in 2004 and an MBA with honors in marketing and finance from the American University in Cairo in 2008. He worked in marketing roles at Google, eventually becoming the Head of Marketing for Google Middle East and North Africa based in Dubai.

In June 2010, he anonymously created the influential Facebook page "We Are All Khaled Said" to highlight police brutality and human rights abuses in Egypt following the death of Khaled Said, an Egyptian man tortured by police.

This page became a potent tool for mobilizing mass protests that fueled the 2011 Egyptian uprising against President Hosni Mubarak. He was deeply involved behind the scenes, coordinating with activists and organizing demonstrations across Egypt.

During the protests, he was arrested and held in secret detention for 11 days, during which his disappearance sparked international media attention. Upon his release, his emotional televised interview galvanized the protest movement, symbolizing the youth-driven, technology-enabled fight for democracy in Egypt.

Following the revolution, he authored "Revolution 2.0," recounting his experiences and the power of social media in political change. He later founded Tahrir Academy to promote education in Egypt and has been involved in various social initiatives and ventures.

Wael Ghonim received global recognition, including being named among Time magazine's 100 most influential people of 2011 and receiving the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award on behalf of the Egyptian people.